


Sweet Raptured Light

by Janie94



Category: British Actor RPF, Norse Religion & Lore, Real Person Fiction, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Frostpudding, Hiddlesfrost, M/M, Romance, Tomki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 01:09:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2250210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janie94/pseuds/Janie94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eight year old Tom gets lost in the woods and finds a man tied to a rock - the god Loki - and he frees him.<br/>When they finally meet again many years later, Tom has long come to realise that it is love that he feels for the god and he wants to stay with Loki.<br/>Even if that means leaving his own world behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning...

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a much shorter oneshot inspired by Tom's story of how he got lost in the woods when he was eight years old.  
> But I also wanted adult Tom to appear, so this is the result. The gods are mostly based on the legends rather than the Marvel characters. Though I did mix their personalities sometimes, because some Marvel version suited the story better. ;)  
> The title is taken from the song "My Last Breath" by Evanescence and it was my greatest inspiration while writing this story.  
> Enjoy!
> 
> I'm not a native English speaker and still have no beta, so all mistakes are mine.  
> \------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**May 1989**

 

It was his first vacation with his parents and his two sisters, Sarah and Emma.  
It was two weeks in a little town somewhere in Norway and while Sarah hadn't been exactly pleased with the house at the edge of a deep forest, 8 year old Tom and 3 year old Emma had quickly took a likening to it.  
It was one of those cold spring days at the end of their first week that their parents had visited the housekeeper who was living at the end of the street and left their oldest child Sarah in charge to watch over her two younger siblings. They had promised not to stay for more than an hour, but Sarah was already bored after twenty minutes, so she made herself more comfortable on the picnic blanket in the garden and opened one of her new books to begin reading. She was too absorbed in that world of paper and letters to notice that Tom and Emma had decided to play something new.

“Tommy, I want to search!” Emma suggested with an enthusiastic smile and Tom nodded eagerly. He had the desperate urge to get to know the forest, so this was the perfect time. “Okay, I'll hide. Count ten times to thirty.”  
  
Emma's smile dropped instantly. “Why so long?”

“I don't know that forest and any good hiding places. I have to find some first and that will take time.”

That seemed to be good enough for Emma, because she leaned forward until her head was touching the nearest trunk and she closed her eyes. “One...two....three...”

Tom began running into the forest, the thick layers of the moss that covered the ground softening his steps. He jumped over little rocks and roots in his way and tried to stay away from anything that might look like a path. He wanted to make it extra hard for his little sister who would mock him for the rest of the day whenever he made it too easy for her.  
Tom had been running for a few minutes when he realized that it was so dark that he could barely make out his surroundings anymore. Suddenly the trees around him looked scary and he felt like Ichabod in that Disney film 'The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad' when the former had imagined the trees to come alive.  
Tom thought about stopping – Emma would take ages finding him anyway – but for some reason he couldn't. His body continued setting one foot in front of the other like he was being pulled forward.

He had no idea how much time had passed, maybe five minutes, maybe an hour, but at one point Tom felt like he was running against an invisible wall and with a shriek of surprise he fell back on his rear. There was nothing too extraordinary about this spot, nothing that should have prevented him from going further and it confused Tom.  
He got up and reached out his hand until his fingers hit something solid. It felt warm and almost like it was pulsing under his fingertips.  
When Tom looked down, he noticed that there was indeed something different: There was a line of big white mushrooms just about the same distance that his hand was able to reach.

“But mushrooms only grow during summer and fall,” Tom muttered to himself, but of course the mushrooms didn't answer him and Tom grinned when he thought of his father's face when he could show him that he had seen them in this season of the year. He kneeled down and tried to dig one of them out, but that stubborn mushroom didn't move an inch even as Tom dug his heels into the ground and pulled until his arms hurt.

Just when he had stopped and sunk down on the ground with an irritated puff of air, he heard it for the first time:

_Help me!_

Tom jumped at the voice and darted around, but he could see no one and he wondered if he had just imagined it. Suddenly scared he got up and turned away to make his way back to the house.

_Help me, please._

This time there was more desperation in that voice and an obvious plea which made Tom look back.  
His mother had taught him that one shouldn’t refuse another if he was in need, so without further thinking Tom reached out to the invisible wall, determined to smash it into pieces if it tried to keep him from helping that man. But to his surprise, the pulsing wall melted underneath his palm and he felt like stepping through a wave of warm water.  
He grinned at his victory, but it was short-lived when he heard a growl from beside him.

For a moment Tom was paralyzed, but then he could see eyes in the darkness which definitely didn’t belong to a human. They were much bigger and an animalistic yellow and Tom tried to run. But the creature jumped in front of him, effectively blocking the way he had just come.

Tom screamed when he saw that it was a wolf the size of a very large horse. He was standing at the other side of that strange mushroom line and bared his teeth. Tom wasn’t so foolish to believe that the invisible line which had already let him through would hold against such a monster and he quickly got back onto his feet and ran further into the forest. He could hear the wolf howling behind him, but Tom was too afraid to look back and check if he followed, so he ran until his legs gave out under him.

Now that he needed to rest and was certain that the wolf had not been following him here, he took in his surroundings that had changed drastically: There was fog around him and the climate felt warmer matching the strange plants growing here, most of which Tom had never seen. But what threw the boy off even more was the lack of sound. There was nothing, not the howling of the wind, the rustling of the leaves, the melodious tweets of birds, the humming of bugs, nothing. The utter silence was even scarier than the wolf and Tom began singing his favourite Disney song to calm himself and his voice felt loud and disturbing.

_“Look for the bare necessities_  
 _The simple bare necessities_  
 _Forget about your worries and your strife_  
 _I mean the bare necessities_  
 _Old Mother Nature’s recipes_  
 _That brings the bare necessities of life”_

Tom stiffened when he thought he heard something up in the sky, like an airplane speeding by. He frowned when he thought how Bagheera would mock him if he saw how scared Tom became just because an airplane was passing by in the distance. He shook himself and while he continued singing, he walked further through the mist.

_“Wherever I wander, wherever I roam_  
 _I couldn’t be fonder of my big home_  
 _The bees are buzzin’ in the tree_  
 _To make some honey just for me_  
 _When you look-“_

He was cut off when something fell from the sky and landed a few meters away from him.  
Tom shrieked when the bulk of a man rose to his full height and looked at him with a mix of rage and confusion. When he spoke, his voice was as loud as the rumble of thunder.

“How dare you come to this place, little human?”

Tom was unable to speak and just stared up at the man, taking in the golden mane framing his face, the deep blue of his narrowed eyes, the armour with the red cape and the big hammer in his right hand.  
The big man stepped closer and Tom shrieked in panic, scrambling away until he fell over a large root.

The giant stared at him with insecurity, but didn’t move closer.  
“My name is Thor Odinson,” he told the child with a gentler tone though it sounded just as irritated as before.

Tom knew that Thor was waiting for him to introduce himself, but remembering his parent’s advice he shook his head vehemently.  
“Mommy and Daddy told me not to talk to strangers.”

Thor smiled and he almost looked nice when he crouched down to be at eye level with Tom.  
“They are right, you should not. But you could at least tell me what you are doing on the Isle of Silence.”

“Pff, we are in a forest not on an isle, silly man.” Tom covered his mouth with his hands when he realized what he had just said, but Thor didn’t look angry, only even more confused.

“A forest? And how did you get here?”

Tom stared up at Thor and when he told him, he could feel tears he hadn’t even known he was suppressing, running down his cheeks.  
“I was playing hide and seek with my little sister and I was the one to hide. She doesn’t like it when I make it too easy for her, so I ran until I was tired and then there was that invisible wall holding me back, but then I heard someone pleading for help and I managed to break through it and I-“

“Hang on, little friend, hang on. You heard someone pleading for help?”

“Yes, I heard that voice when I wanted to return to my sister. But it felt like…”  
Tom fell silent and Thor gently put his hand under the boy’s chin to raise it, forcing Tom to meet his gaze.  
“It felt like what?”

“You won’t believe me,” Tom told him matter-of-factly. “Grown-ups never believe children.”

Despite the serious situation Thor had to laugh at Tom’s wit.  
“I promise by the Norns that I will believe whatever you are going to tell me.”

Tom wondered what these Norns were, but he ignored his curiosity and nodded to Thor.  
“It felt like it was coming from inside my head.”

Thor didn’t laugh at him, because funnily that made more sense than Tom hearing an actual voice. But technically it should be impossible as well.  
“So he somehow manages to reach out to you.”

“Who?” Tom asked, but Thor shook his head.  
“You know too much already, little friend. This is a place too dangerous for you to stay. Hold on to me and I will bring you back to your family.”  
He reached out his hand and Tom was ready to take it when he heard it again, stronger than ever before.

_Don’t leave me._

He drew his hand back and Thor’s smile vanished.  
“What is the matter?”

But Tom didn’t even fully register him, because the voice was still there and it almost felt like a presence in his head.

_He will take you away from me._

Tom felt an emotion he didn’t know yet, later he would find out it was hostility. But he couldn’t tell whether it was directed towards Thor, the owner of that voice or himself. And if it was his own emotion or that of said presence.  
“But what about the man?”

Thor tried to sound soothing.  
“It is none of your concern. It will be taken care of.”

_Liar._

Tom didn’t realize he – or rather the presence – had spoken aloud until he saw the shock in Thor’s eyes.  
His eyes turned cold and his gaze seemed to try to see right through his skull.  
“Brother, let him go.”

Tom laughed – why did he laugh? – and he wasn’t sure if that humourless laugh was his own. He felt so much hatred rising inside of him, but why? He didn’t hate Thor. Then why was he feeling as if he did?  
Then he heard his own voice and realized that his body was beyond his control.  
“Why would I let him go? He is the first being aside from you and the Allfather to ever set foot on this isle since my imprisonment. And he has such a wonderful mind, it reminds me of the endless reasons why I like children so much.”

Thor rose from his knees and the dark look he sent Tom – or rather the being inside his mind – spoke volumes.  
“He is not yours to do as you please. He has his own will and you have no right to violate it.”

“But dear Thor, I am not violating any of his thoughts. I am merely using him as a mouthpiece; I’m not actually invading his mind. He is still here and listens to every word we say.”  
The voice was right. Tom was still there and he didn’t feel entirely out of control, simply side-lined for the moment.

Whether Thor believed him or not, it still did little to calm the blonde’s temper.  
“Stop your games, trickster. I will take him home now.”

“No!”  
This time it was not only the voice that screamed but also Tom himself. The presence retreated for a moment as if taken aback by Tom’s sudden outburst.

Thor seemed to notice it too, because he was caught speechless and the presence came back to take advantage of it.  
“Can you see that, Thor? He wants to help me. Now let him pass.”

Thor growled in anger, but there was little he could do without hurting an innocent child and his voice was barely more than a hiss.  
“Let me speak to the boy.”

The presence didn’t answer, but retreated to the corner of Tom’s mind again and Tom spoke without any hesitance.  
“He’s right, I really want to help him. Please step out of the way.”

Thor nodded and Tom wasn’t sure what had convinced the man, probably the ‘please’ that was so opposed to the presence’ way of speaking through orders, accusations and sarcasm. Then the presence was back and from the way it immediately entered Tom’s mind, it seemed it was growing rather impatient.

_I will guide you._

And Tom’s body began running, thereby dodging hidden tripping hazards Tom would have never seen on his own and when he came to a halt a few minutes later, the fog was gone.  
He was standing in the middle of a clearance, right in front of the entrance to a dark cave.  
Before Tom could take the time to properly look at it, he was already entering it, Thor following quietly behind him. It was chilly inside of the cave and Tom felt goose bumps rising up his lower arms. The air was damp, because of the water running down the stone walls and Tom wondered if there was an underground river somewhere. The cave turned out to be a labyrinth of tunnels and Tom quickly lost track of how many times the presence made him turn into another direction. He hoped that it would also lead him back out. Every step lead them further downwards and the tunnels were getting increasingly narrower until Thor had to walk with a stoop.  
Then they entered a wide room that was lit by light balls dancing at the walls. When Tom’s eyes had finally adjusted to the brightness, he saw him.

The man was dressed in torn green and black garments, partly fabric and partly leather, and there were also pieces of golden armour. He had glowing chains around his wrists and ankles that tied him to the rock behind him. The man’s long black strands were a mess and it almost managed to hide his face. Almost.

Tom gasped in horror when he saw the man’s features. His mouth was sewn together by a thick golden thread and dried blood was covering his chin, making it obvious that the man had struggled multiple times against it. But as if this was not enough already, there were also his eyes: They looked as though they were chemically burnt, the skin near the eyes covered in little bubbles that made bile rise in Tom’s throat.  
For a moment Tom wondered what had happened, but then the presence nudged his head upwards and he saw a snake on top of the rock, her mouth wide open and a drop of poison dripping down into her victim’s eyes in a constant rhythm. Tom was so terrified that he didn’t even notice that the presence had tactfully left his mind.

He turned around and his wide eyes landed on Thor.  
“We need to help him!”

But Thor didn’t meet his gaze.  
“I would like to, believe me, but I cannot.”  
And to undermine his words he took a few steps to the rock, only to meet a resistance that reminded Tom of the one in the forest.  
“My father installed this to prevent me from helping him as he knew I would try.”

“Your father did this? Why?”

“Loki did many wrongs, but it was his role in my brother’s death that brought this punishment upon him. “

Tom had the distinct feeling that he didn’t want to know this, but he couldn’t help asking further.  
“He killed your brother?”

“Not exactly,” was the concise response and Tom knew he would get no other answer.

He looked back to the man and remembered the name Thor had just said.  
Loki.  
It was just as unique as Thor though much more beautiful. It suited the man, Tom decided, and he looked back to the rock. He had managed to overcome the first barrier, maybe it would work a second time.

Tom reached out carefully and his fingers touched whatever was creating the transparent wall. He pushed gently, but it didn't give in at all. Tom squealed in frustration.  
“There has to be a way!”

In that moment Loki turned his head slightly towards Tom as if he had finally acknowledged him through the haze of pain. Tom wanted to turn away from the infected, burnt eyes, but he couldn't so much as move. And then the wall separating them gave in and he fell forward.

“No!” Thor shouted, but as he jumped forward to pull Tom back, he hit the wall again and groaned in pain.

Tom's heartbeat sped up as he stared at the big snake over Loki's head. She looked at him intently, her whole body tense, but she didn't move for which Tom was grateful. He was terrified of snakes since his mum had shown them to him in the zoo last year.  
Very slowly Tom took one step towards Loki, his eyes trained on the snake, but she just watched him, her black tongue darting out every few seconds. She was so focused on him that she had forgot to keep on dropping her poison into Loki's eyes and Tom could already see Loki's eyes beginning to heal.  
Tom sighed in relief and came even closer, but this time the snake hissed warningly and Tom began to tremble. He could hear Thor calling to him from behind.

“Boy, come back! I cannot help you from here and I assure you, one more step and she will kill you.”

He was right. She had twisted her body strangely and looked as if she wanted to attack him, but was merely waiting for the right call. Tom stilled and his eyes dropped down to her victim.  
Loki's eyes were almost fully healed, just red-rimmed and Tom noticed that the colour of his iris was a dark green, a shade he had never seen before.  
But it was the way he stared back at Tom that really fascinated him. Not in pain, defeated, pleading or anything that would be reasonable in his situation. Instead he looked proud, strong and almost challenging.

It made Tom feel even smaller and his voice was barely above a whisper.  
“I-, I'm afraid.”

The presence was back in his head and answering telepathically.  
  
 _I know you are, my little friend, you would be very foolish not to be. But I would not ask this from you if I was not sure you could do this._

Tom felt a calmness and warmth filling him from inside and he wasn't sure if it was coming from Loki or himself, but it gave him the courage to fight back his fear and nod. He was bracing himself for every possible outcome and silently apologizing to Emma for not being there to play with her any more when he lunged forward.

And then everything happened so fast:  
From the corner of his eyes he could see the snake attacking at rapid speed and in the same moment, the presence – no, _Loki_ \- was taking over his body again and making him momentarily roll out of harm's way with an experience that Tom didn't have. The snake swirled around and attacked again, but Loki made him dart her every move with an ability to react much too fast for Tom's eyes to follow. But both Tom and Loki knew that they needed to find a way to get rid of the snake permanently if they wanted to free Loki.

_Call for Mjölnir, she will help you!_

Tom wondered how Loki managed to dodge the snake and talk to him at the same time.  
Since Tom was not in control of his body, he couldn't respond verbally, but he hoped that Loki would hear him nevertheless considering he was also in Tom's head.  
 _Who is Mjölnir?_

_For your own sake, just do it already!_

Loki's voice was in panic and as if to undermine his words, the next attack of the snake missed him just barely.  
Tom knew his only shot was to trust Loki and he tried shouting as loud as he could, even if he had no idea if that would help at all because he was doing it mentally.

_MJÖLNIR, WHEREVER YOU ARE, PLEASE HELP ME!_

Before he had even finished, Loki raised Tom's right arm and opened his palm and then Tom noticed the hammer at Thor's belt flying towards him. If Tom had beenin control of his own body right now, he would have instinctively ducked his head at the heavy object speeding towards him, but Loki forced him to watch as the hammer landed securely in his hand and Tom felt a overwhelming wave of power hitting him.  
Again he didn't notice that Loki had retreated, he only saw the snake attacking him and Tom could swear it was the hammer that was moving, not his arm, though he wasn't sure because it was more subtle than the way Loki controlled him.

The next moment, the hammer hit the snake's head and crushed it, the dead body hitting the ground in several pieces, parts of her intestines – did snakes even have those? - covering him .  
And this time Tom couldn't stop the bile rising up his throat and he quickly dropped the hammer and threw up.

When he had emptied his stomach, tears were streaming down his cheeks and he felt so tired. But he wasn't done yet. Loki was still bound to the rock and his lips were still sewn shut.

Tom got back onto his feet ignoring how much his legs were shaking while trying to support his weight.  
He noticed that the hammer – so that had to be Mjölnir - was still next to him and he looked back at her owner.

Thor's face was impossible to read, but he nodded his consent and Tom picked her up. She was vibrating in his grip as if she was excited that he was touching her again and Tom couldn't wait to tell Sarah and Emma that he had befriended a hammer. He chuckled at the thought and turned his attention back to the man in front of him.  
But the closer he came to him, the more fear crept back into his mind.  
Now that the adrenaline had left his system, Tom was able to notice that the fear was still there though more dormant than before. Maybe the snake hadn't been the only thing that scared him.

Tom was standing in front of the man and looked up to those sparkling green eyes that stared back calmly. Loki wasn't urging him and probably that was the reason why Tom decided that he wanted Loki to be free.  
Tom raised Mjölnir and brought her down on the chain that connected Loki's ankles to the rock. There was a deafening sound accompanied by a bolt of lightning and it crushed under the hammer's power. Quickly Tom did the same to the chain that lead to Loki's wrists and the man stumbled forward when he was freed of his restrains.  
Tom dropped Mjölnir for the second time and waited. He was trembling again and he couldn't deny any more that it was because of Loki.  
There was something in the man's aura as he straightened his back and Tom jerked when the shackles which had lost their golden glow, dented and fell off Loki. Green sparks immediately emerged from his fingertips and surrounded his body.

Tom watched in fascination as the dried blood vanished from Loki's body and his torn clothes repaired itself, the golden armour shining brightly. His eyes met Tom's again and the boy couldn't help but gape at the man's beauty, from the slightly curly strands of long, black hair to the porcelain skin and he couldn't stop himself from wondering.  
“Are you an angel?”

_Do I look like an angel to you?_

Despite the sarcasm his voice was still soft and Tom noticed only then that Loki's lips were still sewn shut.  
“Why don't you destroy the thread like the shackles? It looks painful.”

_I could only rid myself of them, because you destroyed the magical chains attached to them. The spell on this thread is a more complicated matter._

Spells and magic. Essential parts of most fairy tales.  
Tom had always believed in magic, maybe in another time or another place. But there was no other way to explain what had just happened.  
“You have magic too, right?”

_Yes. The spell on the chains was binding my own, that was the reason why I needed someone else's help, little mortal. But Odin installed a barrier to make sure that nobody could reach me. Not that it mattered. Thor, Odin and I were the only souls to ever set a foot upon the Isle of Silence. Until you did._

There was a glint in Loki's eyes, both challenging and curious, and Tom didn't like it. But what irritated him even more was that Loki had spoken of an 'isle' instead of a forest just like Thor.  
“But...I was playing in a forest, not on an isle,” he voiced his thoughts and Loki responded with the same incredulous look which had appeared on Thor's face.  
Tom felt tears of anger in his eyes and his voice rose.  
“I'm not lying, I never do.”

_I believe you. I of all people would know if you lied to me. It is simply interesting. The Isle of Silence is a part of Asgard, but you are from Midgard._

“What?” Tom asked and knitted his brow.

_Midgard is our name for Earth. That is your home, is it not?_

“O-, Of course.”

Loki smiled amusedly at him and his voice was pitiful.

_How ignorant your people still is, it is very endearing. I could tell you of truths you never-_

“Loki, enough!” a loud voice boomed from behind and Tom realized he had totally forgotten about Thor.

The blond was still behind the invisible wall and his face had darkened, but there was a fondness in the way his eyes met Loki's and Tom was sure that the two knew each other well. Or at least had known.  
Thor raised his hand the same way Tom had done during the battle and Mjölnir left Tom's side to be caught in Thor's grasp.

The two men looked at each other for a long time and Tom wondered if they were communicating mentally, but then Loki put a hand on Tom’s back and gently pushed him forward, an unspoken command to leave with Thor.

Tom looked back at him.  
“Aren't you coming with me?”

_Thor will take you home. Your family will be worried if you do not return soon._

But Tom shook his head vehemently.  
“No, Loki, I want you to come with me.”  
  
He felt the irritated glances of both men on him and Thor's voice dropped considerably in volume, obviously to sound calming.  
“I promise you, I am worthy of your trust. I will safely return you to the care of your parents.”

“I believe you, Thor, but I want Loki to come with me. I feel safer with him.” T

hor and Loki's bewilderment was now borderline shock.

_You fool, I am the last person in whose company you should feel safe. Do you know why I was punished?_

Tom swallowed when he remembered what Thor had told him. But he couldn't change the way he felt around Loki.  
“Yes, I know. But you saved me from the snake and I freed you in return. We are friends now.”

Loki stared down at the boy and was baffled by this childish simplicity. He was not familiar with the warmth that slowly spread in his chest.

_I don't have friends._

It was the last warning he was giving the child, but he already suspected it wouldn't make a difference. He was right.

“Then I'll be your first.”  
Tom smiled widely and extended his hand to the god.

Loki eyed it for a moment, before he shrugged to himself. It wasn't like they would meet each other again, so what harm could there be? With an upward twitch of his lips that turned pained at the stretch of the thread, he took Tom's hand and positively beaming at him, Tom almost dragged him towards Thor. Loki's eyes widened when the barrier allowed both Tom and him through.

Thor watched their joined hands with a frown, but didn't comment on it. Instead he turned around and led them out of the cave.  
As soon as the darkness of the tunnels surrounded them, Loki opened his free palm and Tom watched in awe as a green flame appeared on it, brightening the setting.

They walked in silence until they reached the end of the cave and were greeted by daylight.

Thor looked back at Tom with insecurity.  
“I do not know how you managed to get to Asgard without the use of the Bifröst. It seems you have found a hidden pathway, but we cannot be sure. So I suggest we use a safe way to bring you home.”  
His eyes darted to Loki worryingly.  
“Heimdall disapproved of Odin’s punishment almost as much as I did, so I am sure I can make him promise not to report your deliverance to him. But sooner or later he will notice.”

Loki nodded thoughtfully.  
 _I am aware. But I do not intend to hide from him. Not anymore._

Tom shivered at the thought of Loki facing the man who did this to him and Thor obviously felt the same.  
“He might kill you, brother.”

Tom’s brow furrowed at the last word while a little smile threatened to make its way onto Loki’s face.  
 _I am surprised you still call me that. I am responsible for the death of one of your real brothers after all._

“Balder and I were never that close. I will not lie to you, I have not forgiven you yet, not even after all those centuries, but the bond I share with you was forged with a lot of effort on both sides. It takes a lot more for me to stop referring to you as my brother.”

They looked at each other for a few more seconds and Tom couldn’t help the wide grin appearing on his face. It seemed Loki was not that alone despite what he seemed to believe.  
Then he felt Loki’s hand tightening around his.

_Take us to your father, I can handle him._

With a sigh Thor raised Mjölnir into the air while Loki turned to Tom and lifted him up.

_Hold on tight, my little friend._

Finally Loki stepped to Thor and allowed the man to put his free arm around him and the boy.  
And then they were flying.  
They were so fast that Tom could see nothing but a blur of colours and his eyes were watering because of the wind, but he laughed in delight while he clung to Loki.

Far too soon they slowed down and landed in front of a huge building that was glowing in a golden light. Tom briefly wondered if this was the famous El Dorado until he remembered that they weren’t on Earth anymore.  
But his joy was short-lived when he saw the man standing on top of the stairs. He was rather old and dressed in mostly silver armour that had quite a few similarities to Thor’s. He had a golden staff in his hand and one of his eyes was covered by an eye patch. He emitted an aura of power that made Tom want to bow down and run away at the same time.

He gripped Loki’s hand tighter and was glad when Loki pulled him behind his own body to shield him. His stance was rather defensive, but Tom could feel the waves of hatred rolling off him and he had no doubt that the old man had to be Odin.

Odin’s visible blue eye was glaring solely on Loki.  
“You are full of surprises, trickster.”

_I am afraid I cannot take the credit for this latest accomplishment. I have no part in the boy’s arrival on the island, I merely used his presence to my advantage._

Odin began to step down the stairs.  
“You want to tell me a puny mortal managed to arrive at the location of your imprisonment by chance?”

Loki smirked with a boldness Tom could only admire.  
 _You know there is nothing such as chance, there is only fate._

But that response seemed to anger Odin even more and Tom wondered if Loki had a serious death wish.

“Stop twisting my words, silver tongue! You know exactly what I mean.”

_Yes, I do, but just in case you have forgotten, your chains made it impossible for me to access my magic. If I could have done so, I would have found a way to free myself much sooner._

Odin’s glare shifted to Tom and he couldn’t help the frightened whimper escaping his throat.  
A long moment passed before Odin addressed Loki again, this time much calmer.  
“Bring him to me.”

Loki hissed warningly and Tom could feel something akin to electricity in the air, presumably hints of magic.

_You will not harm him!_

Odin didn’t look impressed opposed to the curious crowd that had gathered around them and was slowly backing away in anticipation of a fight. But Odin didn’t even blink.  
“Calm yourself, I have no intention of doing so. If you really speak the truth, liesmith, he will have no traces of your magic and you have nothing to fear.”  
Loki’s warning expression didn’t change, so Odin added, “You as well as the boy.”

Only then did Loki abate his fury and he began to step towards Odin, pulling Tom with him.  
When they were finally standing in front of him, Odin reached out and touched Tom’s forehead.

Tom didn’t feel anything, but when Odin pulled back a few seconds later, he looked astounded.  
“You entered his mind. But that is all I can feel.”

Loki dragged Tom behind himself again and snarled, “If that was all, we would welcome it if you could excuse us, we should bring him home.”

Odin nodded his consent, so Loki and Tom turned around to Thor.  
But the thunderer was not alone; an elder woman in a magnificent gown was standing beside him. Her hair was the same golden tone as Thor’s though curlier and her warm blue eyes rested on Loki before they shifted to Tom.  
He felt a warmth rising inside of him and before he registered it, he had taken a step towards her.  
She smiled and spread her arms.  
“Come here, my boy.”

Tom let go of Loki’s hand and run towards her. She embraced him immediately and he pressed his head against her belly, breathing in the scent of love and home that reminded him of his own mother.

 _Mother_ , a wavering voice exhaled and Tom opened his eyes to confirm that it was really Loki.

Indeed the man that had appeared so strong and unbreakable even during his pain in the cave, looked visibly shaken now, his green eyes wide and desperate.  
And then Loki was rushing forward just like Tom had done and his arms went around the smaller woman, Tom trapped between them. In this cocoon Tom felt safer and more loved than he had in his entire life.

“I missed you, my dear,” the woman sobbed and Loki tightened his grip.

_I know, Mother, I am so sorry._

After a moment he pulled back and his hand came to a rest on Tom’s shoulder.

_Allow me to introduce you to Frigga, the queen of Asgard and my mother. Or at least I like to regard her as such._

Tom smiled sheepishly.  
“She is beautiful.”

Frigga laughed and ruffled his locks affectionately.  
“You make me blush, darling.”  
Then she rounded him and put her hand to stroke Loki’s cheek before she walked at Odin’s side.

Tom looked up to watch as Loki masked his emotions again and faced Thor.  
“Shall we go, brother?”

Thor nodded and together with Tom they walked across the long transparent bridge that sparkled in all colours of the rainbow.

Tom was so intrigued by it that he jumped when a deep sonorous voice suddenly spoke to them.

“My prince. Loki.”

Tom looked up to the largest man he had ever seen. He was wearing a golden armour and helmet that made a beautiful contrast to his dark skin colour and matched his piercing eyes. He bowed slightly to the two approaching men, then a bit lower when Odin and Frigga joined them a moment later.

Thor bowed in greeting as well, “Heimdall, open the Bifröst. This Midgardian has been here for far too long.”

“Indeed,” was Heimdall’s only reply and he looked down at Tom in a way that made him huddle closer against Loki.  
But Heimdall didn’t comment on it and thrust his sword into a slit at the centre of the dome they were standing in.

White flashes appeared and Tom shrieked in fear while the surroundings of the dome were spinning around it at an increasing speed. Loki crouched down to him to pick him up and Tom slung his arms around Loki’s neck, burying his nose in the crook of the man’s neck.

 _Close your eyes_ , Loki commanded softly and Tom obeyed just when they were pulled forward.  
The sound of the airstream was almost deafening and Tom pressed his eyes together more tightly when he realized they were falling.

Then it was over and he felt Loki loosening his grip and setting him down, so he opened his eyes again to find himself back in the forest he had entered hours ago.

 _Where exactly are we?_ Loki asked and took in their surroundings.

“This is where I got lost, just before I saw that gigantic wolf,” Tom answered.

Thor and Loki stared at him in shock, the latter’s voice whispering, _You saw my son?_

Tom wondered if he had misheard him.  
“What?”

 _You saw a wolf much larger than you have ever seen in pictures before?_ Loki asked in disbelief.

“Y-Yes,” Tom stuttered.

Thor shook his head.  
“This is impossible. Fenrir is bound to the rock Gioll underneath the earth.”

Tom was about to insist that he had seen the wolf, but Loki stepped between him and Thor.

_It matters not. Heimdall has taken us to the barrier where the boy somehow got from Earth to Asgard, so if he has seen Fenrir later, then my son has to be on Asgard. As long as he stays there, it is none of our concern._

Thor was not convinced, that much Tom could tell, but he let it go nevertheless.  
Loki extended his hand to Tom again and he gripped it instantly. They walked into the direction where he had come from in silence, each of them lost in his own thoughts.

It took a while until Tom noticed that the flame in Loki’s free palm remained the only source of light even though the forest was clearing.  
It had been afternoon when he had played with Emma.  
“My parents are going to kill me,” he muttered and both men at his sides laughed at that.

Thor patted him on the shoulder and its force made Tom stumble.  
“I doubt that very much. They will be relieved to have you back, it’s been five hours in Midgardian time since you disappeared.”

If that was supposed to make him feel better, it failed horribly and Loki seemed to notice it because his thumb began to rub soothing circles on Tom’s wrist.

_What Thor is trying to say is that they have surely been worried about you and their relief will overshadow their anger._

They fell silent again until they reached the edge of the forest and Tom could see that most lights of their little house were still on, but at least they hadn’t called the police yet.

_It is time to bid you farewell, little mortal._

Tom looked up to Loki, but the trickster’s expression was impassive - no, it was a mask.  
“Why don’t you come with me? Emma would like you.”

_I told you, I am not someone you would like to call a friend. And even if I wanted to stay for a little while longer, there are too many things that still need to be taken care of. I have been gone for quite a long time._

Sadness filled Tom's chest and he embraced Loki, burying his head in the man's belly despite the leather and armour.

For a moment Loki froze in surprise before his arms finally pulled Tom tighter to himself. When his fingers brushed Tom's face, he felt hot tears streaming down the child's cheeks.

_Hush, my little one._

“Will I see you again?” Tom asked, his voice shaking more than Loki had ever heard.

He knew he shouldn't give the boy hope, because he had no reason to see that human again. But somehow the thought didn't sit well with Loki and despite his usual self-control, he couldn't stop his thoughts from screaming _Mine! Mine!_ to him. He was being overly possessive, but he couldn't help it.  
So Loki gently pushed Tom back and knelt down in front of his new friend.  
  
 _You will grow up, you will make yourself a life and when you still want to see me again afterwards, then summon me and I will appear._  
  
He planted a soft kiss on Tom's forehead before letting him go and stepping back to Thor's side.

Tom blinked back all his questions, doubts and concerns and Loki felt proud at the display of strength.

Thor approached Tom and extended his hands. Tom grabbed it, but the blond rearranged them until they were clasping their forearms.  
“Mortal, this is a warrior's greeting in our realm. Today you have proven yourself to have a warrior's heart and I hope it will never waver. I look forward to seeing you again.”

More tears broke free from Tom's eyes, but at the same time he smiled.  
“I'll miss you too, Thor.”

The thunderer nodded and Loki was surprised by the genuine wistfulness in his expression. But then the boy looked back to Loki and the god was charmed by those bright blue eyes that looked at him with a love he didn't deserve.  
“You'll wait for me, Loki, right?”

He sounded insecure and Loki realized that he wasn't the only one presenting his heart on a silver plate.  
 _Yes, I will wait for your call, no matter how long you take, my friend._

He was rewarded with such a joyful smile that its brightness rivalled Thor's.  
“My name is Tom Hiddleston. You should know my name, just in case you need to find me one day.”

Loki knew he would never seek out the human on his own volition, but it was nice to know the boy's name finally.

_Tom. The short form of Thomas I suppose?_

Tom nodded.

_Farewell, Thomas._

And Loki created a layer of invisibility around himself and his brother, his heart clenching at the look of sorrowfulness on Tom's face. The boy stayed for several minutes during which neither Thor nor Loki dared to move, then he turned around and slowly walked towards the house, looking back after every few steps in hope to see them one last time.

The two brothers watched silently when a woman in the garden spotted Tom and embraced him tightly - his mother probably - and then two girls were running out of the house and throwing themselves into his arms. The last figure to appear was a man - his father - who hugged Tom for a short moment before pulling back and slapping him across the cheek with enough force to send him stumbling to the ground.

Loki jerked and it was only Thor's grip around his waist that stopped him from interfering, but the three females were already defending Tom and the father seemed to calm down a bit. His apologetic face was an indication that he might not be used to showing emotions and he had just been so worried. The two girls each grabbed one of Tom's hands and dragged him into the house.

At the doorstep Tom turned around once more and it looked as if his eyes were settling right where Loki was standing, but then he entered the house and the door closed behind him.  
Loki felt alone again.

 

Back in Asgard Odin and Frigga were still standing beside Heimdall and it was the queen who finally broke the silence.  
“This was definitely not the last time we saw that mortal.”

Odin didn’t look at her.  
“I was afraid you would say that. He has freed Loki and exposed us to the danger of Ragnarök. When the battle comes, he will not be on our side.”

“ _If_ it comes, then yes, he will be on whatever side Loki is. But do not get ahead of yourself, husband. His role in our fate was unforeseen and I feel that his intervention has changed all of our threads.”

Odin stared at her and not for the first time he wished his own seiðr was as powerful as hers, but the future would always be a mystery to him.  
“What do you mean with that?”

Frigga smiled at him genuinely.  
“Ragnarök has hung over our heads for as long as I can remember and no matter what we did, I never saw it changing. But now it has vanished from my sight and I can see a different future ahead of us. There are no details yet because there are still too many decisions to be made, but I can feel life as vivid as now.”

Her words rekindled a hope within Odin that he had buried long ago.  
“You mean to tell me an ordinary human has averted the calamity destined to end the gods?”

Frigga chuckled amusedly.  
“Oh no, Odin, this one is no ordinary human. He has a destiny of his own that has only begun to unfold.”  
Then she fell silent, the smile still present on her lips.

Odin shook his head.  
“Sometimes I wonder if you like to tease me with those little pieces of the future.”

But Frigga just smirked and left him and Heimdall alone in the dome.

“What is your opinion of this latest development?” Odin asked the gatekeeper.

“I am only able to see the present and it would be unwise of me to doubt the queen’s judgement.”

Odin hummed in agreement and Heimdall continued, “If she is convinced that that the Norns are allowing this mortal to change the path our lives are taking, then I believe her.”

“But how?” Odin asked though he expected no answer.

He was once again in the dark about their future.

 


	2. ... of the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the nice comments and kudos! You are the best!

**Present Day**

So this was it. His last day of portraying Loki had come to a close and his six picture deal with Marvel was over. It was only promotions and press tours, an appearance at the next Comic Con and then he would have to close this chapter of his life.  
Admittedly more literally than everybody thought.  
The moment he had signed the part of the trickster in 2009, Tom had known that this was the sign he had been waiting for since he had left the real god all those years ago. Things had finally come full circle.

He sat down on his couch and stared at the two flight tickets to Norway in his hand. Only one more day.  
He undressed himself and stepped into the shower, the rather cold water distracting him momentarily from his plans. When he finally got into bed and was lying on top of the blanket, he remained awake until the early morning.

A few hours later, he was at the London Heathrow airport and pulling his co-star Chris Hemsworth into a hug.  
“That’s the last time I’m saying this. You don’t have to come with me.”

“Don’t waste your breath. You said that whatever you’re going to do there, it’s important to you. And besides I’m curious now.”

So it was settled.

They spent the flight talking about various themes, from their family to their work and Chris was confused when Tom told him that he hadn't signed any new films yet, but he didn't question it further. Though they were staying in a hotel in one of the cities, Chris was as keen as Tom to explore the countryside, so they didn't even fully unpack their suitcases but rented a car to drive into nature for a bit. Tom had told Chris that he had already been to Norway during his childhood, so Chris was happy to let him take the lead.

It was late afternoon when they finally reached the little town Tom had been searching for and he stopped the car in front of the house he had been staying in with his family. Excitement filled him and he took long strides towards the forest behind it, Chris shouting after him, “Tom, where are you going?”

But Tom didn't listen and he only stopped in front of the first trees, trying not to feel anxious because of how different everything looked like. He had expected it, it had been 30 years after all.  
He felt Chris at his side and figured now might be the best time to tell him why he was here.  
“Chris, I want you to listen very carefully.”

His tone was so serious that Chris didn't even think about turning this into a joke.

“I already told you I've been here before, but what I left out was what happened to me back then.”

Chris frowned.  
“What are you talking about?”

“I got lost in the woods and accidentally went through a portal to another world.”  
Good lord, he sounded like a lunatic. 

Chris blinked several times.  
“Are you kidding me?”

“No.”

Chris stared into the forest as if he could spot the portal from here and after a full minute, he finally asked, “Why are you telling me this now?”

And there was the catch.  
Tom took a deep breath before he responded. “Because I want you to understand what will happen when I enter this forest again.”

Chris’ glance shifted to him and Tom didn't need to look at his friend to notice the worry radiating off him in waves.  
“Tom, you’re scaring me.”

Tom met Chris’ eyes and took his hand in an attempt of comfort.  
“I’m sorry. But I think it might be better if you see him for yourself.”

But Chris’ hand around his tightened and his eyes widened.  
“Him? Tom, what is going on?”

“Please, just trust me on this, okay?”

Chris sighed in defeat and allowed the Brit to lead them into the dark forest. The next few minutes they walked in silence and Tom occasionally changed the direction slightly.

“How do you even know in which direction you have to go?” Chris asked at one point, but Tom couldn't even explain it to himself. He was simply playing the same hunch that had already led him to the God of Mischief once.

But when the atmosphere in the air changed, causing goose bumps to spread over Tom’s skin, and he saw a familiar line of mushrooms – a large fairy ring - he knew he was close.  
Carefully he reached out his hand and was not surprised when his fingers touched something solid. It began pulsing under his fingertips and Tom heard Chis yelp behind him. The Australian managed to grab his hand again just in time while Tom fell forward.

They caught themselves before they could fall to the ground and they raised their heads to observe their surroundings. The plants around them had changed and the sky above them was a lot darker, countless stars illuminating the night. Tom had almost forgotten how intimidating the complete lack of sound here was.

“Where are we?” Chris asked irritated by the look of utter happiness on his friend’s face.

“We are on Asgard. The Isle of Silence to be more precise.”

To his credit Chris didn't laugh. But he didn't seem to be convinced either.  
“You want to tell me we are in the world of the same gods we portrayed?”

Tom opened his mouth, but before he could comment that, a loud snarl from behind Chris silenced him. Chris whipped around and his eyes widened when he saw the monstrous wolf coming out of the shadows.

“Fenrir!” Tom called and upon hearing his name the wolf’s eyes shifted to Tom and he bolted forward. Chris ducked immediately, but the animal just jumped over him and threw Tom to the ground instead.

“Tom!” Chris screamed in horror and he got back to his feet, but he stilled when he heard Tom’s shrieks of laughter.

He gaped when he saw that the wolf was licking Tom from head to toe and the man was squealing in delight, reminding Chris of a five year old.

“I know, I know, I’m glad to see you too.”

After a few moments Fenrir finally let Tom go and Chris deemed it safe enough to come closer though his eyes never left the creature.  
“That is Loki’s son Fenrir? He was pictured much bigger and scarier in the legends.”

Obviously understanding his words Fenrir growled warningly at him and Chris jumped back even though Tom’s hand, which was stroking the thick black fur, seemed to calm him. 

Tom wisely changed the topic.  
“I’m a bit surprised that he seems to like me, we just met for a few seconds when I was here the last time.”

Despite his fear Chris couldn't help a little joke.  
“I’m not surprised. Everyone likes you as soon as they see you for the first time.”

Tom rolled his eyes, but before he could give a sassy reply, green light enveloped him and Fenrir’s drool that had covered him disappeared at once.

That alone was enough to bewilder Chris, but what he found even more worrisome was the look on Tom’s face, something between a smile and longing.  
“Loki,” he whispered softly and turned around slowly.

At the same spot where Fenrir had come from appeared a tall figure and Chris gasped when he recognised Loki, looking just like Tom during filming. The only major thing that was different from Tom even when the actor would have been in his costume, was the dark green iris of his eyes opposed to Tom’s bright blue. And of course the unsettling sight of a golden thread sewing Loki’s lips together.

Chris felt strangely out of place and superfluous when the two men carefully took hesitant steps forward like magnets that attracted each other.

When they were finally chest to chest, Tom took in the sight of the god, the aura of raw power surrounding him and he was barely aware of his frantic heartbeat that caused him to feel slightly dizzy.

Loki lifted his hand and let his fingers slide through the ginger hair, their unruliness the only thing that reminded him of the little boy with the blond curls of his memory. But surprisingly Tom’s face was pretty much the same though a bit elongated and his cheekbones more prominent. Though he hadn't changed that much apart from growing older, Loki was fascinated by their physical likeness. They could have passed as twins without any problems.  
Loki’s hand slid a bit lower and rested on Tom’s neck, feeling the rapid pulse underneath his fingertips.

_You are beautiful, Thomas._

How much Tom had missed that voice inside his head. He allowed his own hand to come up to Loki’s cheek, feeling the cool skin warming up at his touch and he chuckled.

“You’re such a narcissist, Loki.”

The god didn't argue and simply hummed in agreement. However his face widened a fraction when Tom leaned forward until their noses were touching lightly, Tom’s blue eyes focused intently on the thread sealing Loki’s lips as if his glances could manage to burn it.

“Why do you still have that?”

_Odin is the only one who can lift the spell and it seems I was not decent enough for him to deem me worthy of the skills of my silver tongue._

Tom smiled at the sarcasm while his fingers disappeared in Loki’s black curls, discovering they were even softer than he had expected.

“Why am I not surprised? You’ll never be decent.”

_Well, it is not in my nature. Though I might learn to be decent for you._

Tom smiled and closed his eyes, his breath ghosting over Loki’s lips.

“Stop lying.”

_Not in my nature, Thomas._

And then their lips met and both of them moaned at the electrifying feeling, Loki’s hand unconsciously tightening around Tom’s neck while the latter’s hand, which was still clutching those curls, pressed the god even closer. Loki whined when he instinctively tried to open his mouth and the thread pulled at his flesh.

“Shhh, Loki, you’ll hurt yourself.”

_But I want to feel you._

The god gasped when Tom began to kiss along his jawbone and nibble gently at his earlobe.

“Can you feel me right now?”

It wasn't what Loki had meant and he was sure the human knew that, but his endearing attempt of comfort was nice nevertheless. Then he noticed that Tom was crying and he wondered what he had done wrong.

Sensing his consternation Tom replied, “You don’t deserve this punishment, no matter what you did.”

Loki wanted to respond, but he was distracted when he saw that the tears had turned silver and every drop that fell from Tom's cheek onto Loki sent a wave of comfort and warmth through the god.

_That...feels good._

Tom raised his head and looked at Loki for a long moment.  
“I wonder if...”

Instead of finishing the sentence, he gripped Loki's neck similar to how the god had done just a moment ago and pulled him forward until they kissed again, but this time he adjusted their positions, so that he was leaning over Loki and his tears coursed down onto those sealed lips.  
There was a quiet fizzling when the thread resolved itself. The constant burning stopped and Loki heaved a sigh of relief at the feeling of healing flesh.

When the happy look on Tom's features told him that he was fully healed, he raised his fingers and touched his skin to feel for any scars, but it was as smooth as prior to his punishment.  
Loki didn't understand how this was possible. He had already suspected that Tom had at least some magical skills because it was the only explanation for a portal to Asgard appearing where there was none before.  
But this exceeded Loki's wildest expectations.

“T-Thomas...” Loki's voice was croaky from the long disuse, his throat hurting at the attempt to speak, but Tom's wide smile and the tears of joy he was now crying were definitely worth it, so the god tried again.“Thomas, thank you.”

He hadn't even ended yet when Tom was already throwing his arms around the god and burying his face in his neck. At a loss of more words Loki ended up hugging the mortal even tighter and inhaled his unique scent that smelled like rain and something sweet he couldn't identify yet.

Both men jumped at someone clearing his throat from the side. They had totally forgotten about Chris.  
“Guys, I don’t want to interrupt, but I think we’re about to get company.”  
He pointed to the sky just in time for them to see something falling – or rather landing - between them and Chris.

That something turned out to be the God of Thunder.  
“Thomas!” he shouted and Loki had just enough time to let Tom go before the actor was pulled into Thor's arms.

It was so different from the time they had parted with a polite warrior's greeting that Tom began to wonder what had happened in Asgard to make it seem like everybody had waited for his return.  
“Great to see you too, Thor.”

“I did not expect you that soon if at all, Mother and Father will be pleased to see you again. Frigga has been counting the days since you left and Odin is getting frustrated with Loki’s lack of obedience.”

Loki chuckled and gave Tom an innocent look.  
“It is not entirely my fault that our opinions and views differ so greatly.”

“Sometimes it creates the impression as if you love joining the opposition just to tease him,” Thor commented, but his warm smile took the edge of the words.

Tom turned to the blonde.

“So Odin hopes I might be able to tame the God of Mischief? And here I was thinking he was the wisest of them all.”

Loki’s arms came around his middle and he was pulled back to the chest of the god, Loki’s lips whispering seductively into his ear, “I will reward you greatly if you join my side instead.”

Tom giggled and gently disentangled himself from the trickster.  
“As tempted as I am, Loki, I won’t make any promises. I’ll do what I feel is the right thing.”

Loki rolled his eyes, but they were laced with humour.  
“Ever the responsible man, hm? I cannot believe they chose you to portray my person.”

That made Tom grin, but he was distracted by the look of sheer disturbance on Chris’ face.  
“Are you okay, Chris?”

His friend jumped when he was addressed and he managed a forced smile.  
“Yeah, why not? I just discovered that the Norse deities of our legends are very much real and that you have fallen in love with the God of Lies and Mischief of all people.”

“You forgot God of Fire,” Loki added dryly, but Chris ignored him.

“Why do you two even look so alike? Can’t really say that of Thor and me.”

He was right. Thor and Chris had a few similarities like their stature, but most things were different like Chris’ azure eyes opposed to Thor’s greyish blue ones; Thor being considerably taller than Chris…

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Loki tried to answer Chris’ reasonable question.

“I’m not entirely sure though I suspect it has something to do with him possessing magic. As soon as he has learned to use it, we might get more answers. For now my theory is that we look so much alike because our magic is the same, like two halves belonging together.”

“You mean like soul mates?” Chris concluded with a quick glance at Tom.

The Brit liked that thought and he could see in the way Loki didn't shrug Chris’ suggestion off that the god felt similar. His voice was calm and his green eyes met Tom’s as if he was checking that the human was okay with labeling it so.  
“It appears so. The Norns have undoubtedly a strange sense of humour.”

Tom carefully took Loki’s hand and rubbed soothing circles over the sensitive skin at his wrist just like Loki had done when he had been a boy.  
“I don’t think they find it amusing. Maybe just necessary.”

Thor frowned at Tom. “I am afraid I cannot follow your trail of thoughts, Thomas. What are you implying?”

“Nothing, it’s just…The Norns have a purpose in everything they do, right? So maybe they tied our threads together and equipped me with Loki’s magic, so that I might be able to match him if it becomes necessary.”

For a moment there was dead silence and then Loki spoke without anything indicating how he felt about this. “That sounds like them. It has always been my fate to set Ragnarök into motion and bring upon the twilight of the gods. Perhaps they have changed their great plan and decided our worlds are worth saving. Although, no, I have to take that back, it definitely sounds too kind for them. And they never change their mind anyway, so nothing of this makes sense.”

A tenderness softened Tom’s eyes in a way that was quite off considering the situation.  
  
“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Tom took his time with the response.  
“It looks like they are you giving us a choice.”

Four pairs of eyes landed on him. He had apparently even got Fenrir's attention.

“Speak further,” Loki commanded calmly.

“Think about it, Loki. If I have your magic, then one day I might be either powerful enough to stop you or to join forces with you. Everyone here seems to assume I will stop you, but who’s to say I won’t help you cause Ragnarök?”

The darkening clouds above them were indication enough of how Thor was feeling about this, but he didn't interfere.

Loki on the contrary seemed to find the thought amusing.  
“Thomas, don’t you think I have watched you while we were separated? I know you. Your heart is much too kind to allow you aiding me in the destruction of the gods and our worlds.”

“Apparently they expect me to change.”  
Tom swallowed and his grip around Loki’s hand tightened. “They expect our love to change me.”

That instance Loki realized that Tom was right. And it was a clever move of the Norns because inevitably Tom would change: Loki would deprave him, twist the goodness that surrounded him like power surrounded Loki, into evil. It was bound to happen, be it within a year or a millennium.  
Loki could care less about the other gods because he was sure that he would have a good reason to betray them. But the thought of his Thomas being corrupted by Loki’s mere presence, his light fading away to be replaced by the same darkness that enfolded Loki like an everlasting shadow, no, that wasn't something he would ever want.  
“I think you should leave now.”

  
Tom stared at him in disbelief.

“What?”

“Leave Asgard, live a happy life on your Earth and when the time has come, close your eyes to never awaken again.”  
Loki could see the hurt in Tom’s eyes and knew immediately that the human was not getting the actual message.

“You want me to die? Fine, go ahead and kill me right now.”

Thor and Chris jerked in shock, but stayed back when Loki didn't make a move to obey.

“Thomas, you mistake my words. What I was trying to say is that you can still turn back and live a normal life. You can still get away from this mess and I will never have to see you change.”

Tom’s anger vanished as quickly as it had come.  
“And what makes you believe that this love will change only me?”

Loki opened his mouth, but Tom put his finger on it to show that he wasn't finished yet.  
“No, Loki, you have no right to send me away again. I have already waited so long to be with you and no one, neither you nor the rulers of destiny will keep me away from you any longer. This is my choice.”  
His finger left Loki’s lips, but the god stayed silent and awaited Tom’s final response. 

“And I will always choose you.”

Loki could feel his heart breaking, but strangely he felt whole for the first time in his life and pulled the mortal in a hard, desperate kiss.

From the side line Thor coughed slightly and Tom made an attempt to step back, but Loki prevented it by pressing Tom even more against himself. Chris’ face was turning a dark red in embarrassment while Thor only blinked, obviously far too used to Loki’s pranks.  
“Brother, please. Odin and Frigga are waiting for us.”

Finally Loki let Tom go, a fondness in his eyes that the thunderer had never seen there before.

The trickster turned to Thor.  
“You will take Christopher, I will take Thomas.”

“I expected nothing else,” Thor replied and he gave Tom a playful wink that earned him a  
murderous glare from his blood brother.

Loki grabbed Tom’s arm more forcefully than necessary and the human had to stifle his laughter when he realised that the god was being overly possessive.

But then the air around them contracted and their surroundings changed. Tom stumbled when his vision cleared and he came to the conclusion that Loki had just teleported them.  
“Where are Chris and Thor?”

“Thor’s way of traveling is a bit slower than mine,” was Loki’s nonchalant response.

Tom was about to ask why Loki hadn't teleported them as well when a soft voice filled the great hall they were standing in.

“Thomas.”

Tom turned around, recognizing it before he even caught sight of the beautiful woman standing a few metres away.

“My queen,” he whispered and bowed his head when she rushed towards them, but she slung her arms around him and embraced with the same love she had embraced Loki the last time Tom had seen her. She was trembling and Tom noticed that she was crying.

“You finally have returned to us. I cannot find the words fitting to express the joy I feel right now.”

Tom felt a lump in his throat and his vision was blurring at the tears forming in his own eyes.  
“I feel the same, your Majesty.”

She pulled back and hit his chest lightly, obviously to scold him.  
“Never call me that. You are family, so I insist that you call me Mother”.

“Thank you, Mother,” was all he could manage before he found himself in her arms again though he had no idea who of them had initiated it this time.

It didn’t matter anyway.  
The love radiating off her, made him feel like the little boy he had been during his last visit here. Their tearful reunion was interrupted when Tom saw the man in front of the throne, his one eye trained on the human in a way that it was impossible to tell if he rejoiced seeing Tom again or not.

Odin slowly walked down thesteps, giving Tom enough time to free himself from Frigga and gently pull her towards Loki.   
This was something solely between him and the Allfather.

“My King.”

Odin stopped in front of him and after several seconds there was a visible twitch of his lips that bordered on a smile and the ice in his eyes melted.  
“I am glad you have returned to us, my son.”

He raised his head and placed a light kiss on Tom’s forehead and Tom felt a tension he hadn't even been aware of, leaving his body.  
“I was afraid I was not welcome here.”

“I cannot deny that from the moment you left us, I was leery of the man you would become. I could not imagine a person powerful enough to change our fates and make the God of Mischief obey, but I should have known that it was something as simple yet powerful as love that would be able to do so. Do not misconceive me for I see great power lying dormant within you, but you lack the ambition to use it for evil. All I can see is kindness and light and would I not be witness of the way Loki looks at you now, I would not believe it if someone told me such a person would capture the trickster’s heart.”

“Thank you,” Tom whispered and blushed slightly at the compliment. He was saved from further awkwardness when the door to the throne room opened and Thor and Chris strode in.

“Well, it seems we are complete now,” Odin stated matter-of-factly and turned to Tom again.  “I will ask you just once, so choose your answer carefully.”

Tom nodded and felt nervous knowing that the eyes of several gods rested on him while he was to decide their fates.

“Are you prepared to leave your world and everyone you know behind? To start a new life among the Æsir whose respect and friendship you yet have to earn? To love someone who is destined to turn on us and bring death upon us including you?”

Tom met the Allfather's stern gaze.  
“Nothing you say, changes my feelings towards Loki." He reached out to his lover and Loki gripped his hand reassuringly, so Tom continued, “I love him with all that I am. How he decides to treat my love is his own choice.”

Odin nodded in agreement, not the least bit surprised and he turned to the trickster.  
“Loki, we have talked about this many times, but I have to tell you once more. What we are about to do is final and there is no way to reverse this. If the day comes that you tire of Thomas, you might regret the bond you are forming with him.”

Loki's eyes blazed warningly.  
“Stop suggesting that he is a mere plaything for me. I have never chosen someone as my consort before, so believe me, I am not doing this on a whim. I intend to share eternity with him and him alone.”

His confession stirred something deep within Tom, but he forced himself to stay still and wait for the Allfather's response.

“Very well. Iðunn, will you please join us?”

Frigga flicked her wrist and there was a golden sparkle as her illusion fell and revealed that the throne room was not empty at all. Dozens of Æsir were standing in the shadows and looked at Loki in disbelief or in some cases happiness. Loki's lips tightened when he realized they had all been listening.

A young woman with long light blonde hair stepped forward and her prying grey eyes rested on Tom even when the Allfather spoke to her.

“Will you gift this mortal with one of your apples, Iðunn?”

She smiled mischievously at Tom.  
“His aura of warmth and kindness is so strong that I find myself wondering how Loki can bare his presence for any longer amounts of time. I am curious as to how their relationship will continue. So yes, I am willing to give him one.”  
And she pulled a golden apple from her little bag and presented it to the human.

Tom stared down at it with wide eyes.  
“Is this what I think it is?”

Odin smiled at him like he was a child that he was mentoring.  
“Iðunn is the God of Youth and her apples prolong our lives, allowing us to never age and maintain our immortality. One apple every decade is enough.”

Tom reached out and carefully took the apple from Iðunn's hand, his eyes meeting Loki's.  
“And you're sure you want me in your life?”

Loki grabbed Tom's neck gently but also determined.  
“I spent the last three decades waiting for your return, longing for the day you would come to me and hopefully give me a chance to show you the extent of my love. You have given me even more than that, you immediately gave me your heart without second thought. I could not have asked for anything more.”

Tom smiled and gave him a quick peck on the lips before he raised the apple to his lips  
and bit into it.

The taste was exceptional, both sweet and spicy, and Tom gasped at the intensity. He swallowed and took another large bite just as he felt pain rising up his spine. His ears began to drum and he could hear his own heartbeat slowing down while the voices of the gods around him faded into the background. His vision was spinning and he was vaguely aware of Loki urging him to finish the apple, so he took another bite, his body beginning to shake violently and the pain intensifying in his chest.  
He felt tears in his eyes when Loki pressed the halfway finished fruit against his lips and it took him every ounce of willpower  
to open his mouth and biting into it again. But now the pain faded as if the second half contained the antidote to the poison of the first half and when Tom had eagerly finished the apple, he could not remember feeling this good. His senses felt heightened and he had the feeling the effects would not fade.

Odin gave him another kiss on the forehead, this time whispering a protection spell before smiling at him again.  
“Welcome to Asgard, Thomas.”

Then he stepped back and every man and woman in the room came to Tom and greeted him, be it with a kiss to his hand or a clasp to his forearm.

Tom sighed in relief when he was finally alone with Loki, Thor and Chris. He turned to his human friend and felt a little pang of sadness.  
“We should get you home, Chris.”

Chris nodded and the four men silently made their way to the Bifröst where Heimdall was already waiting for them.

“I am glad to see you again, Thomas. Even more so now that you are staying here with us.”

Tom thanked him with a wide smile and waited until the gatekeeper had opened the Bifröst. Then he turned to Chris.  
“Please don't tell anyone of this. Even if they did believe you, it would be easier for them to go on if they believe that I'm dead.”

Chris nodded and pulled Tom into a firm hug.  
“I'll miss you, Tom.”

“I know. I'll miss you, too.”

He could feel Chris' tears at his neck.

“But you will visit me sometimes, okay? You'll tell me how you're doing and what an ass Loki is and how much you love him, won’t you?”

Tom chuckled and looked questioningly at Thor and Loki.  
The former suggested, “Once every five years would be acceptable, I suppose.”

Tom nodded and gently detached himself from his friend.  
“Do you hear that, Chris? Once every five years, let's say on my birthday.”

“Promise me you will come.”

“I promise you, Chris, I will come to you in five years and every five years after.”

Satisfied Chris nodded and let go of Tom.  
Then he immediately disappeared in the blinding flash of light that would bring him back home.

Thor walked up next to him and his hand was on Tom’s shoulder before the portal had  
even closed.  
“He will be fine. What about you?”

Tom closed his eyes and leaned back against the slender form that was embracing him from behind.  
“As long as Loki is with me, I'll be alright.”

  
He cried out when Loki playfully bit into his earlobe.  
“Just alright?”

Tom smiled and twisted his head to look at the raven.  
“I'm sorry, let me rephrase that: As long as you are with me, everything will be perfect.”

Smiling contently Loki sealed their lips with a kiss, his tongue sliding across Tom’s teeth before deepening the kiss.  
When they finally broke apart, Thor had left long ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you guys can see, there will definitely be a sequel to this story though I have no idea when I'll have enough time to write it. I have so many others that are waiting to be written, so we'll see. ;)  
> I apologize for those of you who might dislike the way I portrayed Fenrir. I swear he's only such a puppy when it comes to Tom and Loki otherwise he's actually very scary and we will touch upon that in one of the sequels.  
> And on a final note: You have probably guessed already that the gods in this story are based on the myths rather than the Marvel movies. But I couldn't help throwing some things from the movies in like Frigga's personality and her relationship to Loki. I just love those two so much.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for your support!

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and/or comments if you liked it.
> 
> Chapter 2 will be set approx. 30 years later, so there will be adult Tom. :)


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